I really don't know where to begin or end with this writeup as I'm feeling a bit out of sorts. You see, when a game is plagued by lag, downtime, server instability, rogue GMs, and the like... I'm usually the first to lay into the game/company and challenge them with a comic to correct the issues before their community rises up to lynch them.

But lately, despite WoW having ALL of the above stated problems, I haven't nailed them at all. Maybe it's because I haven't experienced it first hand. Maybe it's because I've let myself become so engrossed with the game that my snide "objectivity" has been suppressed. It's hidden back there somewhere with my inner child and my primal instincts.

I knew today though, with the re-institution of the que system, that something HAD to be said. But, being a firm believer of "if you don't like it, leave", I find myself in quite the quandry.

I loathe the idea of a game company making paying customers wait to play the game, effectively denying them access to the very thing they are paying for. But, at the same time, I'm enjoying the game enough that I personally am willing to wait. See what I mean? This is a delimma that I'm not used to facing and I wanted to express that in the comic.

What I will say without feeling wishywashy though, is that something has to give. No matter how good the game is perceived to be, it will quickly wither from the lime light if the company continues to keep its customers at a digital arms length from the product.

And the comic, well it seems pretty pansy to me, but ultimately there is a valid potest hidden in there. If everyone logged their characters in and refused to log themselves back out (avoiding the auto-boot by running in a corner, dancing, etc), the protesters will force Blizzard to take action. Now, they'd most likely waste time doing the wrong thing, punishing the protestors, instead of working to come to a better solution that the que system they currently have in place. Sure some of the other gamers would suffer under this tactic, but I'm reminded of the old addage "you can't make an omlet without breaking a few eggs."

What I have to ask myself is... how would I feel if I were one of the eggs?

So I sit here reminding myself that just because I enjoy the game does not mean Blizzard is infallible. They have to answer the criticism, less they fall into the same trap SOE has with EQ. They need to be communicating the exact issues and their proposed steps toward resolution. They need to involve the community before the community invoves itself (which, given the state of the WoW forums, and the mass locked and/or deleted threads, may already have happened). And, they need to do away with the cue system. All it's doing right now is adding insult to injury.

Now, I'd like you guys to keep this thread clean. That means if you're going to be negative atleast do us the courtesy of being constructive.